‘SNL’ Tackles One of ‘Star Wars’ Biggest Mysteries in New Cut Sketch

We’ve long-since forgiven Star Wars oddities like sound in space or planets with one ecosystem, but one thing never adds up: Why does everyone speak different languages to one another? SNL sought to answer exactly that with a new cut-for-time short.

Even as SNL didn’t get around to airing the pre-taped Star Wars short, the Charles Barkley-starring bit features J.J. Abrams introducing “The Mos Eisley Five” as the next standalone film. The costumes and settings all look pretty familiar, but it isn’t until midway through that Barkley’s character points out the glaring oddity of everyone in Star Wars speaking multiple languages, including back and forth to one another.

And it’s true – we never really minded someone roguish and intelligent like Han understanding Greedo or Jabba, and it’s perfectly in character that he’d speak his native tongue and make everyone else play his game. But how does everyone seem to understand Chewbacca’s growls, or the beeps of a droid? Are the school systems that much better a galaxy far, far away? Are there universal translator implants we’re missing, a la Star Trek?